Tag: Rosie Grant

Cemetery Book Review: To Die For

Posted on Posted in Book ReviewTagged , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

October is full of gatherings. Friends, family, and food, all come together this time of year, with Thanksgiving feasts and Halloween parties aplenty. And what better spooky treat to bring to a fall party than a recipe made from a gravestone?

That’s exactly what Rosie Grant’s new book, To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes, is all about. As someone who often tries out gravestone recipes, I knew this cookbook had to be added to my collection and, of course, reviewed on the blog!

Rosie Grant is a digital archivist and cemetery enthusiast known as @GhostlyArchive on social media. While interning at Washington, D.C.’s Congressional Cemetery, she began to notice the unique things people had engraved on their gravestones.1 After some digging, she discovered that some even included recipes.1 That discovery sparked her project of cooking gravestone recipes and sharing the stories behind them, which eventually led to her new book, To Die For.1

Published in 2025 by HarperCollins, To Die For includes 40 recipes collected from gravestones around the world. Each recipe comes with beautiful full-colour photographs, stories about the people behind the dishes, and even tips on how to document your own family recipes.

Here is a bit of the synopsis from Goodreads:

“For so many, food is a touching, nostalgic thing that brings us together. So much so that some families choose to remember their loved ones through the dishes they made and the food that brought comfort to those around them by immortalizing their recipes on their gravestones.

Thoughtfully and respectfully explored, Rosie has documented this connection between food, legacy, and family, remembering the deceased through the recipes they most loved, and giving their families a platform to share their loved one’s story and cherished dish with the world.”

  • Book cover for To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes by Rosie Grant
    To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes by Rosie Grant

This is a gorgeous book. The cover illustrations are lovely, and the glossy photos that accompany each recipe are beautiful. The recipes are organized into familiar categories like cookies & brownies, pies & cobblers, and also includes a few savoury dishes too. One of my favourite touches is the inclusion of sample menus at the back of the book. They show how to create an entire meal using only gravestone recipes, which I thought was a fun addition.

What really makes To Die For special though, are the stories. Grant includes personal notes and memories from the families, showing how food connects generations. The stories are touching and heartfelt, reminding us that a recipe is more than just a list of ingredients. It can be a memory, a legacy, and a link to those we’ve lost.

To Die For is a must-read for anyone who loves cemeteries, cooking, or the idea of keeping memories alive through food. It’s a perfect October read, and it would make a great addition to any cookbook shelf. I’ve already tried about half of the recipes in this book, but I’m looking forward to trying out more.

Whether you bake something from its pages or just enjoy the stories, this book captures the sweetness of remembrance in such a unique way.

Thanks for reading! 

I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you!

References:

  1. How making recipes etched on gravestones changed this student’s perspective on death | CBC

Cemetery Recipes: Peanut Butter Cookies

Posted on Posted in Cemetery Recipes, Tombstone RecipesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I have been craving peanut butter lately so I thought it would be a perfect time to try another gravestone recipe. This recipe went viral in June of 2023 after Twitter (now X) user SoloFlow786 replied to a Stephen King tweet with a photo of a peanut butter cookie gravestone recipe. The photo quickly went viral, amassing 500k views and over 5,000 likes.1 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to learn much about this recipe, or whose gravestone it is written on. According to Rosie Grant, of Ghostly Archive it might be inscribed on a gravestone somewhere in Raymond, Maine. I did find that after this tweet went viral, many folks tried their hand at making this recipe, with great success. 

Interestingly, some users on Reddit think this recipe is a variation of an old Betty Crocker recipe from the 1950s. From what I could find, the recipes are a bit similar. The gravestone version does omit a few things and has the added touch of the chocolate kiss.

  • Gravestone engraved with peanut butter cookie recipe. Photo credit: Twitter/X user @SoloFlow786

Here is the recipe, as written on the gravestone:

Peanut Butter Cookies

  • 1/2 C Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 C White Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar
  • 1/2 C Crunchy Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 C Butter Shortening
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 C Flour
  • 1 Tsp Baking Soda

Mix in order given. Roll into balls, then roll in sugar. Cross mash with fork. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Place chocolate kiss on top of cookie while still warm.

This is a pretty straightforward recipe with few ingredients. So it didn’t take long to whip up a batch. The longest part of the process I found, was rolling the cookie dough into even-sized balls. 

The extra tsp of sugar that the recipe calls for, is for rolling the cookie dough into. For my batch, since it was St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, I decided I would try adding a touch of green to be festive. I managed to find some green sanding sugar, but unfortunately, it was more of a pastel green. More for Easter than St. Paddy’s, so after baking the green colour had pretty much disappeared.

I spaced the cookies out evenly on two baking sheets. My batch made 19 cookies. I found my dough was a bit crumbly, so after mashing it with a fork, they didn’t keep a round shape and some crumbled a little bit. They didn’t spread out too much and kept their crumbly shape. They still taste delicious though. 

I found making this recipe was a little different for me. I often find myself talking aloud to the person whose gravestone the recipe comes from, but this time I don’t know who this recipe belongs to. I find talking out loud while I bake or cook helps me connect to the person. I hope one day I can find out where this gravestone recipe comes from. It would be lovely to be able to put a name to the gravestone.

Until then, I will highly recommend this delicious peanut butter recipe to anyone craving a sweet peanut butter treat.

Have you tried this recipe? What did you think?

Thanks for reading!

References: 

  1. This Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe Is Too Bizarre To Digest | Zee News

Cemetery Recipes: Dr. Death’s Ranch

Posted on Posted in Cemetery Recipes, Tombstone RecipesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

I am still on the hunt for Canadian gravestone recipes. The majority of the ones I have learned about are in the United States. Hopefully one day, I will have a Canadian recipe to share with you. Until then I will keep trying out the gravestone recipes I learn about online. 

For this month’s gravestone recipe, I wanted to try out Dr. Death’s Ranch!

  • Cemetery Recipes: Dr. Death's Ranch

This is the first savory gravestone recipe I have tried, and it looks like it will be an easy one to make. I first learned about this recipe through Rosie Grant, who you may know as Ghostly Archive on TikTok. This gravestone belongs to Marty Lee Woolf, who passed away suddenly on August 21, 2022.1 

According to Woolfs’ obituary, he was a hard-working family man with a good sense of humor. He leaves behind a wife and three children.2 I would like to think this recipe was one of his favourites. So much so, that his family chose to inscribe it on his gravestone for others to remember him by. I wasn’t able to find much information about this ranch dressing recipe, so I am very curious; who is Dr. Death? Was this Woolf’s signature dip recipe? Was this his go-to recipe for family gatherings or get-togethers? 

What I could find about this stone, is that this gravestone was most likely made in Washington state. The only photo I have been able to find of this gravestone looks to have been taken before the stone was installed at the cemetery, possibly after it had been engraved.

I have recently been able to confirm that Woolf is laid to rest in Saltese Cemetery, in Greenacres Washington. Thank you to a fellow taphophile and reader for sending me a note about this graves location!

Woolf’s Find A Grave memorial also lists a photo of the front of his gravestone. His epitaph reads “The Legend. The Laugh.”

  • Backside of the gravestone of Marty Lee Woolf. Photo by Rosie Grant (Ghostly Archive on TikTok)

Here is the recipe, as written on the gravestone:

Dr. Death’s Ranch

  • 1 C. Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 C. Buttermilk
  • 1 Tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
  • 1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
  • 1/8 Tsp. Paprika
  • 1/8 Tsp. Garlic Powder

This has to be the easiest gravestone recipe I have made so far. There are only 6 ingredients and there is no baking or cooking involved. My kind of recipe! The hardest part for me was gathering the ingredients. Being in Canada, we sometimes don’t have the same name brands of foodstuffs. I wasn’t able to find any Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix, so I substituted in some Club House Ranch Style Dressing and Dip Mix. I tried to compare the mix ingredients to see if the mix I had found was close, but I wasn’t able to tell since both mixes don’t go into detail on what spices are actually in them. Hopefully, the flavors aren’t too off! 

After easily mixing everything by hand with a whisk, until smooth, I let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few minutes to let the flavors combine. While the dressing was resting, I sliced up some cucumbers and red bell pepper to make a little veggie platter. I also threw some cherry tomatoes and baby carrots on there for some variety.

When the veggie platter was ready, it was time to try Dr. Death’s Ranch.

This is a super tasty recipe! I wasn’t sure about the buttermilk as I don’t think I have ever had it before like that, but the bright flavor combination is a winner. I also love how quick & easy it is. I was surprised at the amount of dip this recipe makes too. The addition of the buttermilk helps smooth out the texture and thins it out a little, making it a decent-sized batch.

This would be the perfect thing to bring to a Summer get-together with friends and family, or maybe to some game day festivities. The next time I go to a potluck, I know I will be reaching for this recipe again for super easy veggies and dip platter.

Have you heard about this gravestone recipe before? Are you going to give it a try? Tell me about it in the comments! 

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. ‘I’ve made 23 recipes I found engraved on gravestones – they’re to die for’ | Mirror
  2. Marty WOOLF Obituary | Legacy.com

Cemetery Recipes: O’Neal’s Peach Cobbler

Posted on Posted in Cemetery Recipes, Tombstone RecipesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

I’ve been craving a sweet treat lately, so I think it’s time for another cemetery recipe! Peaches are coming into season right now so I thought why not try O’Neal’s Peach Cobbler? This tasty treat would also go well with a side of ice cream. It is summer after all!

O’Neal’s Peach Cobbler recipe can be found on the gravestone of O’Neal Bogan “Peony” Watson, in New Ebenezer Cemetery in Castor, Louisiana. O’Neal’s son Charlie McBride loves this family recipe so much, that he had it inscribed on his Mother’s grave after she passed away in 2005. He said “It really is just a great recipe”.1 In an article for the Sault Lake Tribune, Charlie reminisced about memories that making this recipe brought up. It’s a perfect example of how these cemetery recipes are a sweet way to remember our loved ones. 

  • Cemetery Recipes: O’Neal’s Peach Cobbler

Here is the recipe, as inscribed on the gravestone:

O’Neal’s Peach Cobbler

  • 1 c. Flour
  • 2/3 c. Sugar
  • 2 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 c. Butter
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt

Mix ingredients. Add 3/4 c. Milk.

Put fruit into pan. Pour on topping.

Bake at 350’ until done.

  • Grave of O’Neal Bogan Watson. Photo by Find a Grave contributor Colette Alfred-Sikes. Photo used with permission.

I always find it interesting how descriptive or nondescriptive recipes found on gravestones can be. I realize it might be too expensive to inscribe too much text on a stone. I do appreciate how creative some authors get to skirt around that. This recipe is a short and sweet one, pun intended. The only things I found missing was the amount of fruit, and how long to bake it for.

Rosie Grant over at GhostlyArchive, of TikTok fame, used 1 can of whole peaches that she cubed up, so I did something similar and used 1 big can of sliced peaches. I drained the peaches before putting them in the pan and tried to make sure they were evenly distributed. 

I followed the recipe as closely as possible, mixing the dry ingredients first, then adding the milk. I poured on the topping as evenly as I could, now it was time for it to go into the oven. The recipe says to bake it at 350’ “until done”. I wasn’t sure how long that should be, so I started with a timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes it wasn’t looking cooked through, so I left it in for another 10 minutes, then another 5. After 35 minutes it was looking nice and golden so I took it out to cool.

I paired my first serving of O’Neal’s Peach Cobbler with Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream. It was to die for! The topping puffed up, creating a lovely fluffy texture that combined nicely with the soft peaches. I’ll be keeping this first batch for myself, since there isn’t enough left to share! But, I will need to make this again for a friend or family gathering.

Have you tried recreating any cemetery recipes yet? Share your favorites in the comments! 

Thanks for reading! 

References:

  1. Family Recipes Etched in Stone. Gravestone, That Is. | The Sault Lake Tribune
  2. O’Neal Bogan “Peony” Watson | Find a Grave
  3. O’Neil’s Peach Cobbler | GhostlyArchive on TikTok